911 Information

We must find you before we can help you. Is your address displayed properly?

When you request the assistance of emergency personnel such as Police, Fire or Ambulance, they need to be able to find you. The easiest and best way is to have your address displayed correctly. County law requires your address be displayed properly. This helps the 9-1-1 Center get help to you quickly.

The law requires your address be displayed visibly from the road. This requires numbers at least 3 inches tall, preferably reflective with a black background. Contrast is the key to good visibility. The numbers can be displayed on the house, mailbox (both sides), or on a post near the road. You can be fined if you don't comply.

We have prepared a slideshow to demonstrate good and bad 911 address displays.

For additional information and suggestions on properly displaying your address please contact us at 410-479-2622 or by email.

Appropriate Use of 9-1-1
The 9-1-1 Emergency System makes an important difference in our community everyday. It is your first source of help in times of crisis and it can mean the difference between life and death. When used properly, 9-1-1 saves seconds and those seconds can save lives.

Dialing 9-1-1 is the fastest, easiest way to communicate with local police, fire, and medical services during an emergency. You do this by simply waiting for the dial tone on your telephone, cellular phone or public telephone, then dialing 9-1-1.

Do exactly as the 9-1-1 call taker tells you during the course of the call.

Never hang up on the 9-1-1 call taker until you are told to do so. If you hang up and redial, your call will go to the end of the line of people waiting for service.

No money is needed for calling 9-1-1 from a pay phone. If there is an emergency, you can just pick up a pay phone, wait for a dial tone, and dial 9-1-1 without depositing a coin.

Special 9-1-1 Tips For Seniors

Invest in a phone with large, easy-to-read numbers. Put a 9-1-1 reminder near the phone.

Dialing "0" will not always connect you with an operator nearby. It may connect you with an operator many hundreds of miles away. Always dial 9-1-1 for local police, fire or medical emergency assistance.

The 9-1-1 system allows the dispatcher to "know" where you are calling from even if you cannot speak - for instance, if you are experiencing a stroke or if there is an intruder in your home. Just dial 9-1-1 and leave the phone off the hook. Do not hang up.

Keep your medical history taped to the refrigerator in an envelope clearly marked with your doctor's phone number(s).